The Scene Drift

SXSW 2026 is bringing the heat with a lineup full of blockbuster films, indie gems, and bold TV premieres. Leading the charge is Ready or Not 2: Here I Come, where Grace must survive a deadly game alongside her estranged sister Faith while rival families hunt them down. The festival also highlights fresh projects from Boots Riley, John Carney, and Jay Duplass, plus Apple TV’s Margo’s Got Money Troubles, starring Elle Fanning, Michelle Pfeiffer, Nick Offerman, and Nicole Kidman, which premieres at the festival before going global on April 15.

This year’s lineup includes 58 feature films, 49 world premieres, nine TV projects, shorts, music videos, and VR experiences. Boots Riley’s I Love Boosters follows a team of professional shoplifters taking on a cutthroat fashion mogul, while John Carney’s Power Ballad pairs a washed-up wedding singer (Paul Rudd) with a young rockstar (Nick Jonas) in a musical story of ambition and reinvention. Jay Duplass’ See You When I See You explores PTSD through the life of a comedy writer navigating personal and professional chaos.

Kyra Sedgwick and Kevin Bacon make their directorial debut with Family Movie, a meta-horror story where a family’s low-budget production turns into a real-life slasher. Other standouts include Mike & Nick & Nick & Alice, a time-twisting, R-rated action-comedy; Over Your Dead Body, a cabin-set thriller; and They Will Kill You, a horror-action mashup featuring Zazie Beetz.

Emerging voices also take center stage with Brian, following a high schooler navigating anxiety while running for class president, Edie Arnold is a Loser, about a punk band forming at a Catholic school, and Plantman & Blondie, a quirky Los Angeles story of a man discovering a mysterious plant-saving hero. Seahorse chronicles a sous chef confronting family estrangement, and Sender follows a woman unraveling into paranoia after receiving unsettling packages.

Documentaries include WhileBlack, about Darnella Frazier and the viral footage of George Floyd’s death, The Ascent, following bilateral-amputee climber Mandy Horvath’s attempt to summit Kilimanjaro, The Last Critic, profiling rock journalist Robert Christgau, and Phoenix Jones: The Rise and Fall of a Real-Life Superhero, exploring Seattle’s vigilante scene.

International narratives add heart and perspective with Mexico’s Campeón Gabacho, France’s Mam, and the psychedelic stoner comedy Pizza Movie.

Running from March 12–18, SXSW 2026 promises a week of high-octane premieres, star power, indie breakthroughs, and bold storytelling across film, TV, music, and VR. With horror, comedy, heartwarming dramas, and immersive experiences, this year’s festival is shaping up to be unforgettable.